Breakthrough indie author Morgan Rosenblum returns with a meticulously-crafted graphic novel, Winds of Numa Sera.
The fantasy novel is set in an elaborate fantasy world, featuring an expansive cast of multi-layered and—above-all—believable characters. As their disparate backgrounds and motivations put them on a collision course with one another, the protagonists of one story become the antagonists of another.
I asked Morgan which character is his favourite to which he replied, “I always say I try not to pick favorites, because they are all my babies, and each one of them is unique and special to me.” He continues, “But, Kelesandra is my favorite. I can’t even hide it. She is the most “flawed” character—and thus most relatable, in my opinion. Stubborn and impulsive, with a false sense of security – she constantly puts herself in precarious situations. But she is also very intelligent, and resourceful – quick on her feet. Any good character needs to grow and change throughout a series/story, and Kelesandra seems to have the furthest way to go among all of the characters, which makes her journey a very rewarding one for the reader.”
The seemingly separate storylines of Winds of Numa Sera slowly weave together into a large cohesive narrative.
“It is said that truth is the first casualty of war and this holds true for the Empire of Numa Sera, whose glorious founding mythology is slowly peeled apart as the protagonists discover the truth behind the legends. The grand narrative plays out over multiple generations, in which villains become heroes, history is rewritten, the mundane becomes mythical and the truly legendary becomes mere superstition.”
The tone of the novel strikes a unique balance between that of a lighthearted adventure story and a ruthlessly realistic political drama, which takes place in a world rich with fascinating lore. Confronted with violence, treachery and political intrigue, the charismatic heroes of Numa Sera do what they can to survive and succeed. As they continue on their journeys, long forgotten truths are rediscovered and ancient forces are reawakened.
Before Winds of Numa Sera, Morgan first burst onto the sci-fi scene with Treadwater Volume 1. This proved to be a runaway success, the likes of which had not been seen in many years. His comic book debut captivated readers with complex characters fighting an unwinnable battle in a pre-apocalyptic scenario. It was received with sales on par with The Walking Dead when it first came out. When the long-anticipated Treadwater sequel was released, it was an even greater success, topping Diamond’s ‘Indie Bestseller’ list.
The success of Treadwater took Morgan Rosenblum to Hero Projects, a custom comics company, as their creative lead. He then moved on to an editorial position at the legendary Heavy Metal Magazine.
For Winds of Numa Sera, he is working alongside his childhood friend Jonny Handler. Owing the breadth of its story to the depth of its characters and the splendor of its lore, a graphic novel of this scope is an ambitious undertaking. After several years of meticulous work, the duo are now putting the final touches on the epic fantasy tale.
After a successful Kickstarter campaign, Rosenblum and Handler have pivoted to a new service on the site to continue financing their endeavor.
“With our Kickstarter campaign now over, we’re using a service called BackerKit that is specifically designed to be a post-Kickstarter platform. Using this platform means people will still be able to get copies of the book and some of the other cool rewards they would have otherwise missed.”
To find out more or support the project, please check their BackerKit page here.
